393 Scientific LiteUigence, [May, 



By this process, from 300 grains of the seeds, from which, if 102 



f rains are deducted for the shells, there are left 198 grains of the 

 ernels, there were obtained upwards of two drams, by measure, of 

 an oil which possessed all the qualities, as to taste and medicinal 

 efficacy, which the purchased oil contained, — (Journal of Science, 

 Literature, and the Arts.) 



III. Specific Gravities. 



The following specific gravities have been taken by M. M. Roger 

 and Dumas, with great accuracy. 



Specific Gravity. 



Ice 0-950 



Silica. 2-650 



Boracic acid 1-830 



Arsenious acid 3-698 



Protoxide of copper 5*749 



Oxide of bismuth 8*449 



Oxide of lead 8-010 



Peroxide of mercury 11*29 



Caustic lime 3*08 



Carbonate of lime 2*717 



Anhydrous sulphate of lime 2*960 



Crystallized sulphate of lime 2*322 



Alumina 4200 



Nepheline 3270 



Sulphur 2 086 



(Edin. Phil. Journal.) 



IV, Effect of Heat on the colouriiig Matter of the Ruby. 



In subjecting rubies to high degrees of heat, Dr. Brewster ob- 

 served a very singular effect produced during their cooling. At a 

 high temperature the red ruby becomes green : as the cooling ad- 

 vances, this green tint gradually fades, and becomes brown, and the 

 redness of this brown tint gradually increases till the mineral has re- 

 covered its primitive brilliant red colour, A green ruby suffered no 

 change from heat ; and a bluish green sapphire became much paler at 

 a high heat, but resumed its original colour by coohng. — (Edin. Phil. 

 Journal.) 



V. Large Hitman Calculus. 



The Reverend J. Cumraing, Professor of Chemistry, at Cambridge, 

 has lately given an account to the Philosophical Society, of a calcu- 

 lus in the possession of Trinity College, which weighs 32 ounces ; 

 its specific gravity is 1*756, and it measures 15^ inches in circum- 

 ference. Its nucleus is lithic ; to this succeeds a considerable portion 

 of the oxalate of lime variety, followed by layers of the triple crys- 

 tals, covered by a thick coating of lithic, which is occasionally broken 

 by a layer of the triple crystals, and the external surface is princi- 

 pally composed of the fusible calculus. Professor Cumming notices 

 also a calculus composed of vegetable matter and the phosphates 

 found in the intestines of a horse, which weighs 64 ounces, and 

 measures 37 inches in circumference. 



